Former Raleigh mayor Mary Ann Baldwin with RISE students. Photos courtesy of RISE Charter School.
A Raleigh charter school has given school lunch a powerful make-over. Just in time for the 2026-27 school year, RISE Charter School has launched an innovative scratch cooking pilot featuring abundant fresh, healthy food that is prepared onsite. The initiative is a collaboration between the RISE team, Food Paradigm, Overflowing Hands, Chef Dean Ogan of Rocky Top Catering, and others.
RISE formerly partnered with Wake County Public Schools for catered meals. Now students have the option to dine on scratch-cooked meals for breakfast and lunch daily.
Last week, former Raleigh mayor Mary Ann Baldwin visited RISE to see the school’s program in action.
School leaders said the program grew out of a desire to live up to RISE’s high standards in an area that is central to student learning.
Here’s an excerpt from EdNC’s May article previewing the program:
For RISE leaders, the pilot offers a chance to deliver on core commitments while
meeting community need.
“Food is one of the most consistent parts of a child’s day, and we saw a gap between the level of excellence we expect in our classrooms and what we were offering in our meals,” [RISE’s executive director Dawn] Arthur said.
Kwan Graham, RISE’s board chair, said the pilot fulfills the school’s goal of “meeting the whole child.”
RISE students sometimes lack access to fresh fruit and vegetables, or even whole meals, she added. “If you are hungry, if you are unhealthy, you cannot learn,” she said.
Read EdNC’s May coverage of the pilot here.
Recent Comments